WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Missouri State University-West Plains is now offering a new Human Resources certificate option for its Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Business degree.
The classes will take place at the Greater Ozarks Center for Advanced Technology (GOCAT), 395 Jackie Garrett Ave., in West Plains.
The new 24-credit-hour option can be completed in less than one year. It will prepare students for human resources positions in any type of business that has employees.
Students enrolled in the program will be prepared to take the Associate of Professional Human Resources (aPHR) certification through the HR Certification Institute.
“The aPHR certification is the first step to starting a career in the HR profession, and is recommended by many employers in the region,” said Sheila Barton, manager at GOCAT. “The ability to demonstrate one’s level of expertise through certification will help an individual who has completed this program stand out in the application and hiring process.”
According to information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ “Occupational Outlook Handbook,” open positions for human resource assistants are projected to grow 10 percent through 2028, higher than average for similar occupations.
Some of the duties a human resource technician may be asked to do include:
• interpreting and explaining human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards and regulations;
• hiring employees and processing related paperwork;
• and prepare and maintain employment records related to hiring, transfers, training, promotion, termination and addressing employee relation issues.
“Human resources professionals are the lifeblood of any company, because their job is to ensure that the business gets the most out of its employees,” Barton said. “The HR department has to provide a high return on the business’s investment in its people. With the certification and our AAS in Business, our students will be well equipped to do all this and further their careers.”
aPHR COURSE AVAILABLE SEPARATELY
The aPHR Certificate Exam Prep course also can be taken separate from the AAS in Business degree. Sessions are set for 5 to 8 p.m., Sept. 28 through Jan. 21, 2021, at GOCAT.
The fee for this 16-hour program is $615 per person and covers all course materials. An additional fee is required for taking the exam at a qualified Pearson Vue testing center. Registration deadline is Sept. 24.
For more information about the HR certificate option or to enroll in the AAS in Business degree program, contact Barton at 417-255-7784 or sheilabarton@missouristate.edu.
For more information about Missouri State-West Plains and its academic programs, call the admissions office at 417-255-7955.
